Selling Vegetables Together

Mrs. Tang sat on the doorstep, rubbing her sprained foot while muttering to herself. Zhang Zhaocai silently went back inside, staring blankly at the carrying pole basket Mrs. Tang usually used to sell vegetables.

The more Mrs. Tang looked at her son, the prouder she felt. She said proudly, "My son is amazing; he even managed to lure Lingdang away from Su Li's family! With Lingdang following Su Li, there must be plenty of money! Zhaocai, see if you can dig some silver out of Lingdang, hehe, then I won't have to work so hard selling vegetables before dawn every day!"

Mrs. Tang kept nagging endlessly, encouraging Zhang Zhaocai to cozy up to Lingdang. In her eyes, Lingdang was practically their family's money tree.

Zhang Zhaocai got annoyed by Mrs. Tang's nagging and shouted, "Enough already, you're so annoying! Are we still going to sell vegetables or not?"

Mrs. Tang cried out as she got up from the ground, limping as she went to pick up the carrying pole, mumbling, "Alright, alright, let's go sell vegetables!"

With the carrying pole on her shoulder and a smaller vegetable basket in hand, Mrs. Tang headed toward Su Li's field to get vegetables.

Zhang Zhaocai watched Mrs. Tang's limping figure and his mind was filled with Lingdang's scolding words.

"You don't even know how to be filial to your own mother; you're no good!"

Zhang Zhaocai gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "I'm better than Tudan!"

Saying that, Zhang Zhaocai ran after Mrs. Tang. Seeing her son coming, Mrs. Tang let out a surprised sound.

Zhang Zhaocai reached out and took the carrying pole off Mrs. Tang's shoulder, carrying it himself.

But he was still a child, not very tall, and carrying the pole made the baskets on both sides drag on the ground. Feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, Zhang Zhaocai threw down the pole, snatched the vegetable basket from Mrs. Tang's hand, and stomped ahead in a huff.

Mrs. Tang watched from behind, puzzled, thinking, "What strange medicine did this boy take today?"

"Zhaocai, where are you taking my vegetable basket? Give it back, I still need it to pack vegetables!" Mrs. Tang picked up the carrying pole and hurried after him, trying to snatch the basket from his hands.

Zhang Zhaocai dodged a few times, hugged the basket to his chest, glared at Mrs. Tang, and shouted, "Mind your own business! Take your own vegetables and leave me alone!"

After shouting, Zhang Zhaocai paused, seeming to realize his tone was harsh. Remembering Lingdang's words, he took a deep breath, forced a smile, and softened his tone: "Mom, I'll help you carry the basket. Let's go sell vegetables together."

"Huh!???" Mrs. Tang touched her forehead, wondering if she had a fever and was delirious. Looking at the sky, the sun was rising in the northeast, not the west — what was going on?

Su Li's house.

Su Li woke from her sleep, lazily stretching. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Yuanbao looking at her with a doting smile.

"Wife, how about not going to the Serenity Vegetarian Bistro today?" Yuanbao pouted, holding Su Li's arm and acting coy.

Su Li yawned, sat up in bed, hugged Yuanbao's head, and ruffled his hair messily. Then she tapped his forehead and said, "That won't do. The customers are all waiting to eat the food I make. If I don't go, the Serenity Vegetarian Bistro will be wrecked."

While speaking, Su Li quickly got dressed and got out of bed. "Business at the Serenity Vegetarian Bistro is booming now, all because of me as the head chef. If I don't go, it's like smashing my own brand."

Su Li jumped out of the carriage, quickly washed up and got ready to set off.

Outside the door, Xiao Zetian stood under the corridor. Xiao Yun whispered beside him, "Master, the spies monitoring Prince Ling reported that..."

Xiao Yun's face showed reluctance, as if it was something extremely hard to say.